Midsole skiving and trimming machine



July 7, 1959 1.. CIPOLLA MIDSOLE SKIVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE Filed March 20, 1958 LAURENCE CIPOL'LA BY 0 m; AAWIJO ATTORNEY United States Patent 2,893,025 MIDSOLE SKIVING AND TRIMMING MACHINE Laurence Cipolla, Hollis, N.Y. Application March 20,1958, Serial No. 722,726

9 Claims. (Cl. 12-88) This invention relates to machines used in the process of manufacturing shoes. It particularly relates to a machine the general object of which is to skive and trim away a marginal strip from the midsole so that'this strip will not be present in the finished edging about a shoe.

The purpose of trimming or cutting away thisborder strip from the midsole is to effecta finished edging about the shoe which presents a thin appearance. This finished edging might otherwise include a welt strip, a'marginal strip of the upper, the marginal strip of the midsole, and the marginal strip of the outsole. The strip of the midsole, when cut away, is cut at an angle. This causes a feathered or bevelled cut edge, and is commonly called skiving. The feathered edge serves to prevent a void or space from appearing in the edge of the shoe between the upper and the outsole, as might otherwise occur were the midsole not skived. V

A further object of this invention is to provide a machine which simultaneously trims away andskives the border strip of the midsole. f v e v Another object of this invention is to provide a mid sole skiving and trimming machine of an improved nature that is practical in its structure and efficient in'its op-' eration. V

The invention further lies in its particular construction, and also in the general organization and cooperative association of its component parts.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the inventionis illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine embodying the invention; V

Fig. 2 is a left'end view of themachine, but at a larger scale than the scale of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan detail of the guide member, the upper gripping element of the rotary feed elements being shown in broken line; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a partially completed shoe the border strip of the midsole of which has been skived and trimmed away by the machine of the present invention.

Reference is now directed to the several drawings for a more detailed explantion of the invention. In Fig. 1 there is shown one side of -a lateral section of a partially completed shoe 1 being fed through a midsole skiving and trimming machine 2 embodying the invention. The shoe is shown in an upper side down position, as this is the position in which it is fed through the machine for the purpose of skiving and trimming a midsole member 3 relative to an upper member 4 of the shoe. 7

The partially completed shoe discloses an inner lining member 5 adhered to the inner face of the upper 4 and so arranged on the latter that a peripheral marginal or border strip 6 of the upper extends beyond the bottom edge of the inner lining member. The upper 4 has been lasted 01" fitted in conventional manner upon a form and has been stitched down, as indicated by the stitching 7, immediately beyond the inner lining member 5 to the mid sole 3. A marginal or border strip 8 of the midsole extends laterally beyond the stitching. It overlies strip 6 and is of equal lateral extension. Strips 6 and 8 extend from the shoe in a horizontal plane and substantially at right angles to the vertical of the shoe. These strips are of supple material, such as leather, and are usually thin. The midsole strip 8 is prefer-ably not greater than two irons in thickness, and the strip 6 of the upper is substantially about the same thickness.

The shoe as thus far prepared is ready to have the midsole strip 8 skived and trimmed away just beyond the stitching 7. After the latter operation, an outsole and a welt, not shown, will be applied to the shoev in conventional manner so as to provide a finished laterally extending edge about the shoe. The purpose of trimming away the midsole strip, as earlier mentioned, is to cause a resultant thinner finished edge about the shoe. Skiving serves to provide a beveled or feathered edge 9 to the midsole along the line where the marginal strip 8 thereof has been trimmed away. .When the outsole is subsequently applied over the midsole following the trimming and skiving operation, a resultant void does not form in the finished edge of the shoe between the upper and outsole members, as would otherwise occur if the midsole were square out instead of skived in the trimming operation;

The machine 2 of the present invention functions to simultaneously skive the midsole beyond the stitching 7 as it trims away the border strip 8. The resultant edge of the midsole is uniformly skived relative to the stitching and is free of ragged cuts.

The machine 2 includes a supporting framework 10 having a depending base or leg support 11 which is adapted to be anchored by fastening means, not shown, to a proper surface. The framework supports for rotation in bearings 12 a horizontal main drive shaft 13. The latter is powered by any suitable motive means, such as a pulley and belt drive 14 associated with a motor, not shown. This shaft is adapted by any suitable means, such as gear train connections 15,- 16 to drive an upper shaft 17 and a lower shaft 18. The latter shafts are disposed in parallel relation to the main drive shaft and are respectively supported by the framework for rotation in bearings 19, 21.

The main and lower shafts rotate desirably at the same speed. The longitudinal axes of the main and lower shafts 13, 18 are in the same vertical plane. The left ends of these shafts extend externally beyond the framework and are provided with rotary gripping elements, respectively designated 22 and 23. These cooperate with each other in a feeding operation of the shoe 1 through the machine to frictionally grip between them the marginal strips 6 and 8 and to carry them rearwardly to a rotating disc cutter or knife 24, located rearwardly of the gripping elements.

A guide member 25 is arranged as a means for guiding in a desirable manner the strips 6 and 8 through the gripping elements and to the knife. The guide member causes the strips to diverge or separate from one another in a vertical direction shortly after they issue from between the gripping elements and as they approach the peripheral cutting edge of the rotating knife. This enables the knife which rotates in a horizontal plane to trim only the midsole strip 8 from the shoe. The guide member is further arranged relative to the knife so that the midsole is skived simultaneously as the strip 8 is cut away.

The upper gripping element 22 is a thickened disc, preferably of metal, having a knurled or roughened peripheral surface. This disc is axially fixed upon the left end of the main drive shaft. The lower gripping element 23 is defined by a knurled or roughened cylindrical end portion of the lower drive shaft 18. It is smaller in diameter than the upper disc element 22, as its function is to support the underside of the strip 6 of the upper 4. At some points in the shoe, particularly in the area of the ankle portion thereof, the upper 4 extends or curves away from its marginal strip 6 in close spaced relation thereto and to an equal lateral extent as at 27. The space 26 developed between strip 6 and the curving portion 27 of the upper is angular and narrow, so that the lower gripping element 23 must be of small diameter to enter this space sufiiciently to support the overlying strip 6, and it is preferably bevelled slightly at its free end 20 to permit a further extension thereof into the space 26.

The guide member 25 is thin throughout. It is rigid and formed of hard material, such as steel. It is supported at its right end to the underside of a bottom wall 28 of the framework 10, and lies in a horizontal plane. It has a finger portion 29 which lies forwardly of the gripping elements (Fig. 3) and extends toward the left end of the machine. This finger is flat and lies in a horizontal plane which preferably intersects the feed line F-L of the gripping elements. This finger progressively widens at the right to provide a broad plate portion 30 which is fastened to the underside of the wall 28 by a pair of screws 32. The shanks of the latter are relatively smaller in diameter than the diameter of the oversize holes 33 through which they pass, and they are formed with heads of a larger diameter than the holes 33. The guide member further has an elongated and narrow thin arm 34. The latter forms at its forward end an integral corner 31 with the left end of the finger 29. This corner is rounded and smooth, as it is adapted to be initially entered between the strips 6 and 8 prior to feeding of the latter between the gripping elements. Arm 34 extends transversely of the end of the machine in a rearward direction in close proximity to the vertical plane of the left end faces of the gripping elements 22, 23. It runs parallel to the feed line F-L and lies substantially in the same horizontal plane. The arm is laterally split or divided in its rear end so as to form a pair of cars 35, 36, one above the other. The lower ear 35 is a continuation of the arm proper, lying in a horizontal plane. The upper ear 36 diverges upwardly and rearwardly relative to the lower ear. Both ears enlarge laterally to the right rearwardly of the gripping elements 22, 23, and in close proximity to the issuing end thereof.

The rotary knife 24 is a thin disc blade having a sharp peripheral cutting edge. The knife lies in a substantially horizontal plane, and is axially fixed to the lower end of a vertical shaft 37. The latter is supported for rotation in a pair of vertically spaced bearing blocks 38, 39 supported between a pair of walls 41, 42 of the framework. The knife is rotated by means of bevel gearing 43 drivingly connecting shaft 37 with the upper drive shaft 17. The thin knife is disposed for rotation in the V space 44 separating the ears 35, 36 of the guide arm 34, and it is so arranged therein that a portion 45 (Fig. 3) of the knife edge projects beyond the left edges of the ears.

In the operation of the machine, the shoe 1 is manually held in an upper side down position as in Fig. l. A starting point in the shoe is selected and the shoe is applied to the guide arm 34 so as to enter the corner .31 of the latter between strips 6 and 8. The shoe is then moved rearwardly over the arm in such manner that the stitching 7 is parallel-to. and pressed against the left longitudinal edge of the arm. The guide arm is relatively narrower than strips 6 and 8, so that these substantially overextend the guide arm to the right. As the shoe is moved rearwardly over the arm, the overextending portions of strips 6 and 8 are entered between the gripping elements, as appears in Fig. 1. The gripping elements thereupon act to carry the strips rearwardly. The strips issue from between the gripping elements and ride over the cars 35 and 36 of the guide arm, whereby the midsole strip 8 is forced upwardly relative to strip 6. As the strips separate and continue rearwardly, the knife 24 which is rotating in the path of movement of the midsole strip severs the latter from the shoe. As the strips are moving over the ears the strip 6 tends to drop slightly as the strip 8 is forced upwardly, thus causing the stitching 7 to pass below the knife edge whereby the latter severs the midsole strip beyond the stitching. As the latter strip is being cut away the other strip 6 drops upon a table finger 46 which guides it rearwardly and clear of the machine. This table finger 46 is adjustable slightly up or down, forwardly or rearwardly, as desired through screw and slot means 47, 48.

The position of the knife between the ears 35, 36, may be adjusted slightly up or down as desired to insure severance of the midsole strip beyond the stitch line 7. This may be done by tightening or loosening the lock nut 49 at the upper end of the knife shaft 37 so as to permit vertical movement of shaft 37 as desired.

When the midsole strip 8 is forced upwardly by the upper car 36, it is carried at a slight angle relative to the knife so that the resultant cut effected on the midsole strip has a skived or feathered edge, as indicated at 9 in Fig. 4. The angle of the skived edge may be controlled by tilting the knife slightly up or down, as desired. To enable this, the bearing blocks 38, 39 are supported on screws 51 which project axially from opposite ends of the blocks and pass through arcuate slots in the walls of the framework. The slots 52 associated with the upper block curve in opposed relation to the slots 53 associated with the ends of the lower block. This enables the knife shaft 37 and both blocks 38, 39 to tilt as a unit on the axes of the screws, so that the knife may be tilted at a desired angle so as to cut the midsole strip 8 at a desired distance from the stitching and at a desired skiving angle.

Further adjustments are enabled by means of the guide member 25. The oversize holes 33 cooperate with the associated screws 32 to enable the guide member to be shifted in a horizontal plane back and forth and endwise. By this means the guide arm 34 may be brought closer to or further away from the end faces of the gripping elements 22, 23, or the ears 35, 36 may be carried further rearwardly or forwardly relative to the knife.

A still further adjustment is enabled by a screw 54 which passes freely through an oversize hole 55 in the guide member and threads into a recmsed shoulder 56 of the underwall 28 of the framework. This screw has a head of greater diameter than the hole 55, and has a coil spring 57 located between the guide member and the recessed shoulder 56. Tightening or relaxing the screw 54 resiliently flexes the arm end 34 of the guide member slightly up or down accordingly, whereby the arm 34 may be accurately adjusted to lie in a horizontal plane the same as that of the feed line F-L of the gripping elements or slightly above or below it.

Having described my invention, it is my intent to claim the invention not only as shown and described, but also in all such forms and modifications thereof as may be reasonably construed to fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What Ijclaim is:

1. Amidsole skiving and trimming machine comprising in combination asupporting framework, a pair of rotary feed elements supported in the framework cooperable with oneanother to receive between them a pair of superimposed laterally extending flat strips defining an edge about a partially completed shoe and stitched together along an inner longitudinal edge thereof, means for causing one strip of the pair to progressively diverge in a vertical plane from the other as both strips issue from between the feed elements, and a disc knife rotating in a horizontal plane rearwardly of the issuing elements having a peripheral cutting edge in the path of rearward movement of the diverging strip.

2. A midsole skiving and trimming machine as in claim 1, wherein the said means causes the diverging strip to move at a slight angle relative to the plane of the cutting edge of the knife whereby the strip will be skived by the latter as it moves rearward.

3. A midsole skiving and trimming machine as in claim 1, wherein means is provided for adjusting the knife angularly in a vertical plane from its horizontal plane of rotation.

4. A midsole skiving and trimming machine of the character described, comprising a pair of cooperating rotary strip feed elements having end faces in the same vertical plane and having a feed line in a horizontal plane, a rotary disc knife having a horizontal plane of rotation and arranged in close proximity to the issuing end of the feed elements slightly above the feed line, a strip guide arm parallel to the feed line extending transversely of the machine in close proximity to the end faces of the feed elements and substantially in the plane of the feed line, and an ear diverging upwardly from the surface of the arm and extending rearwardly above the surface of the knife and a little in from the peripheral edge of the latter.

5. In a midsole skiving and trimming machine including a pair of cooperating feed rollers and a disc knife rotating rearwardly of the rollers in a plane slightly above the plane of the feed line, means for guiding between the rollers a pair of narrow flat strips comprising a partially completed shoe edge, said guiding means being characterized by diversion means located rearwardly of the issuing end of the rollers for directing one of the strips angularly over the peripheral edge of the knife.

6. In a machine as defined in claim 5, wherein the guiding means is a relatively thin arm at the end of a plate having support in a framework of the machine, the arm being adapted to enter between the strips as the strips are entered between the rollers.

7. In a machine of the character described for skiving and trimming away one strip of a pair of flat strips super imposed one upon the other and extending laterally from a shoe, the strips being stitched together along their inner longitudinal edges, a disc knife rotating in a horizontal plane having a peripheral cutting edge, means for carrying the strips in a horizontal plane to the knife, and means for guiding the overlying strip at a slight angle to the plane of the knife across the path of the cutting edge of the knife adjacent the stitched longitudinal edges and for guiding the stitched longitudinal edges and the underlying strip below the path of the cutting edge of the knife.

8. In a machine as defined in claim 7, wherein the means for carrying the strips in a horizontal plane comprises a pair of cooperating rotary elements, the guide means is an arm parallel to the line of feed and lying in a horizontal plane adjacent the rotary elements, the arm being adapted to be received between the strips as they are fed between the rotary elements, and wherein the guide means includes deflecting means at the end thereof rearwardly of the issuing end of the rotary elements adapted to deflect the strips so as to guide the overlying strip across the path of the cutting edge of the knife, and to guide the stitched longitudinal edges and the underlying strip below the path of the cutting edge of the knife.

9. In a machine as defined in claim 8, wherein the guide means is formed integral with a plate, the machine includes a supporting framework, and means is provided adjustably mounting the plate to the framework for slight endwise and slight back and forth movement in a horizontal plane relative to the framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,795,485 Finn Mar. 10, 1931 1,901,140 Bates Mar. 14, 1933 2,104,113 Bazzoni Jan. 4, 1938, 

